


Code Red

by NikitaHawkeye



Category: Trese (Comics)
Genre: F/M, Gen, cliche undercover au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-11-02 09:13:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20695862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikitaHawkeye/pseuds/NikitaHawkeye
Summary: Alexandra would like to say she is never going undercover with Maliksi again, but his skills proved to be too valuable for pettiness.





	Code Red

To her annoyance, Maliksi cleaned up really well.

Alexandra was not sure why she was mildly miffed at the fact that a) Maliksi was, apparently, a skilled actor, and that b) he was very adept at undercover work, but she half-expected that the tikbalang prince would be overly eager and green around the ears, not that she needed to admit that out loud. 

Not that she could also be faulted for that. Maliksi is, after all, of noble blood, and a spoiled one at that. He also had a history of throwing tantrums when things don't go his way, and also playing superhero to cover up his constant need to feed his ego. When it comes to him, it’s just simply hard to set high expectations.

But as Maliksi smiled charmingly at the elderly members of the royal clan while exchanging surprisingly insightful suggestions regarding investments and business ventures with important-looking guests, Alexandra couldn’t help but re-evaluate her stand.

Maliksi cleaned up really well, and because of that, she was able to glean that a) the crucifix they were looking for was last spotted in an orphanage somewhere in Eastern Europe in the 1850s, b) the fire that was thought to have destroyed it did not even damage it, and c) it was up for auction in Denmark, but was suddenly stolen by a thief in the middle of a bidding _ in front of almost a hundred people _, a shadowy figure whose identity still remained unknown up to this day (although Alexandra had a strong suspicion that she knew exactly who it was), and that d) Maliksi acquired his business degree from Yale University. 

The auction is still two hours away, their target item is still locked up in an unknown and untraceable location (Bathala knows what the Kambal is doing to track it down at this very moment), and here she is, stuck immobile in the middle of a boring party, playing the role of an arm candy perfectly… all because someone decided to cloak the said item with an anti-tracking spell. Whoever it was, they had enough foresight to realize that the best hunters in the world would be after their asses. Well-played.

Alexandra sat tight-lipped as she quietly lamented about the things she could have achieved in two hours. She promptly consoled herself by swearing that someone would pay for her wasted time, and she almost felt better, until Maliksi suddenly tensed up beside her. 

She raised her eyebrow at him, and he motioned for her to stand up. He muttered excuses at the table while smiling slyly at the guests, even winking at some point. Alexandra almost rolled her eyes at the implication that he was trying to establish. 

  


* * *

_ “What?” _

Alexandra hissed at Maliksi when they finally arrived at a secluded area around the corner of the mansion’s labyrinthine garden, and if looks could kill, Maliksi would have already been writhing on the floor, Armani tuxedo first, before everything else. 

“You heard me. Bidding is useless. I can put the whole Armanaz clan’s wealth on the table, but there’s no way in hell we’re winning against this guy.”

Maliksi cleaned up really well that he even acquired the name of possibly the strongest bidder in the world, an information that was supposed to be classified. The pretty lady on the table was nice enough to mention it in the middle of rambling about the difference between brogues and oxfords. It was a conversation that made Alexandra drift off briefly, and in that brief moment, she was just glad he was paying attention.

The strongest bidder goes by the name of Señor Dumas, and he has the power tantamount to the force of half of the world. Alexandra only ever heard bits and pieces about the man, and she used to brush him off as a ghost story created by the elders to keep the younger generation off their treasure-hunting business. If rumors were to be believed, this man never walks around without security detail of the most extraordinary kind… extraordinary being the most powerful witches and warlocks from all over the world. Meanwhile, she didn’t even have the Kambal with her. 

She felt the first signs of a headache coming on, and quickly rubbed her fingers against her temple. “We’ll bluff—”

“They would know. Encantada sensors and all.”

Still no news from the Kambal, and as long beeping sounds greeted her ear after dialling their numbers, Alexandra briefly wondered if she and her companion would survive a city’s worth of ancient warriors overnight. 

As if he read her thoughts, Maliksi clamped down a hand over her shoulder. “No fights, Alex. Unless you plan on waging a war against the world’s oldest and most powerful clans, no blood should be shed tonight.” 

_ And she thought she was the logical one. _ “Do you have any better suggestions?” She snapped, and almost instantly regretted it when she heard voices and footsteps approaching their way. 

_ “Are you sure this is where you saw them go?” _

_ “Yes, I think I heard them as well—” _

_ “Then why didn’t you stop them, you idiot? This is an off-limits zone for guests. Do your job!” _

In their defense, there was no “off-limits” sign visible anywhere. Alexandra looked around inanely for exits, but found nothing. There was nowhere to hide, and it occurred to Alexandra that there was only one way to get out of this. 

She slammed the unsuspecting tikbalang against the garden wall, her hands grabbing his collar down as she slammed her lips against his gaping mouth.

His frozen form finally started to catch up, as she felt his hand grab a fistful of her hair to tilt her head up for a better angle. She retaliated by yanking his shirt harder, which only served to deepen the kiss, and Alexandra could feel her focus dangerously wavering lightly as she could feel him sigh in her mouth…

The footsteps approached them, followed by a rumble of laughter. 

_ “ _ Sus _ , you were planning on watching them, weren’t you?” _

_ “Get a room, there’s literally hundreds of rooms here…” _

_ “Sabi ko na nga ba. Tsk tsk tsk.” _

Alexandra promptly shoved Maliksi off of her, then turned around to straighten her wrinkled dress and brush away the strands of stray hair on her face. She only hoped she didn’t look as disheveled as she felt. 

She cleared her throat and marched forward, leaving the speechless Maliksi on her trail. “Let’s go. We have an auction to lose.” 

* * *

They did lose, alright.

Alexandra sighed as sent one last message to the Kambal, ordering them to come at the mansion at this very instance. It was not her night, and her hopes of finding the crucifix before the auction even started was dashed right at the very moment the host removed the velvet fabric around the glass display of the damned thing. 

It was not her night, and things are just about to get uglier.

“Hold that thought.”

Maliksi stood up, a glass of Chardonnay in his hand, his other hand dusting off an imaginary dust from his pristine tailored suit. Alexandra was about to give him a piece of his mind, until he spoke. 

_ “¿Cómo de bueno es tu español?” _

“What are you trying to—”

_ “¿Cómo de bueno?” _

_ “No está mal. Por qué?” _

Maliksi took her arm and looped it around his bent elbow. He huffed a small breath and patted her hand, and in any other time she would have raged at the audacity, but he looked so determined and confident enough that she almost believed at whatever small sliver of hope he was looking at. 

* * *

_ “Cuando el sexto hijo del sexto hijo haga su elección, usted querrá estar de su lado.” _

In the end, Maliksi negotiated for her. 

Granted, one of the most powerful men in the world did not need additional protection, but Alexandra did not like to bargain. Her methods usually involved a single warning and the eventual blow, but things very seldom end with them parting ways without a scratch on their skin. 

Compromise, she learned, involved persuasion to achieve mutual concession. She figured that when Maliksi, with his perfectly fit three-piece suit, boyish charm, and perfect Castellano, shook hands with the surprisingly young Señor Dumas, the other hand handing over the crucifix itself. 

Just like that. She didn’t even have to ruin her dress. 

As they walked back to their car, the baffled Kambal followed suit. They probably expected blood and carnage on the scene and not Alexandra and Maliksi being followed around by several butlers while dragging an important-looking cargo behind them. Maybe it was the fact that everything looked like another victory on their side, but the sour look on their bossing’s face tells otherwise. 

Alexandra would like to say she is never going undercover with Maliksi again, but his skills proved to be too valuable for pettiness. 

Of course, she would never admit any of these out loud. She already fed his ego enough to last him a lifetime. The grin on his face on their way home told her so. He looked so pleased with himself, and he had every right to feel that way, but his gloating silence was almost suffocating. She was tired and all she wanted to do at the moment was rub his newly-shaven face on the floor.

They were both proud creatures, she surmised. She should be glad that the Maliksi right now is a silent, gloating Maliksi who looked like he was trying too hard to act maturely, and not the flirty, boisterous Maliksi who never missed the chance to ask her out. 

"Siento lo de tu pelo."

_"Cállate."_

She spoke too soon. 

**Author's Note:**

> “¿Cómo de bueno es tu español?” — "How good is your Spanish?"
> 
> “¿Cómo de bueno?” — "How good?"
> 
> “No está mal. Por qué?” — "Not bad. Why?"  
\---
> 
> “Cuando el sexto hijo del sexto hijo haga su elección, usted querrá estar de su lado.” — "When the sixth child of the sixth child makes her choice, you would want to be on her side."
> 
> \---  
"Siento lo de tu pelo." — "Sorry about your hair."
> 
> "Cállate." — "Shut up."
> 
> \---  
Based on "Chasing Relentlessly" by freaky.pencils on DA. Granted, there was no dance scene, but still. 
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/freakypencils/art/Chasing-Relentlessly-375140493
> 
> \---
> 
> Also, I am in no way a spanish speaker. Apologies for any errors.


End file.
